The Training Program in Orthopaedic Research in the Center for Musculoskeletal Research at the University of Rochester Medical Center has thrived during its first funding period from 2006-present. It has grown from 25 to 29 participating training faculty from 8 Departments, Divisions and Centers and it has recruited a successful group of students and post-doctoral fellows during this initial period. The mission of the program continues to be: To provide comprehensive training in musculoskeletal science with the aim of developing outstanding investigators in the field of orthopaedic research. The program for years 6-10 contains training slots for 6 pre-doctoral and 2 post-doctoral trainees and around these trainees is developed an education program that provides a comprehensive understanding of orthopaedic investigation. The training experience aims to build competency in areas ranging from the most basic molecular studies to the design and execution of human clinical trials, stressing the concept of research translation. The Center and associated training faculty represent a highly integrated group of mentors that provide research training opportunities in 7 core research focus areas: bone cell biology, cartilage biology &osteoarthritis, inflammatory bone disease, skeletal repair, bone cancer, skeletal development and musculoskeletal clinical trials. Accepted pre-doctoral trainees matriculate into the Graduate Education in the Biomedical Sciences (GEBS) program, and the Center has become a popular destination with 19 students currently working toward their PhD. In addition, the Center currently supports the advanced training of 16 post-doctoral trainees. To accomplish our stated mission, the Center has developed an education program supported by 6 core activities: 1) Center-wide lab meetings (6 trainee presentations/year), 2) A comprehensive Foundations of Orthopaedic Science Curriculum that is comprised of 3 rotating blocks of lectures focused on methodology, basic skeletal biology/pathology, and the 'Art of Science'(e.g. grant and paper writing, effective presenting, ethics), 3) Two continuously running Journal Clubs, 4) A Grant Writing Core, 5) A visiting professor seminar series and 6) An annual Center for Musculoskeletal Research Symposium with an invited keynote speaker. During the initial funding period, we were able to optimize the function of these Core Activities and are now, even more then before, positioned to attract outstanding young scientists to the program. Overall, we aim to make their involvement in our program the cornerstone to their development into interactive orthopaedic investigators skilled to translate the basic discoveries of the future into effective human therapies.

Public Health Relevance

This application outlines the plan for a continuation of the Training Program in Orthopaedic Research in the Center for Musculoskeletal Research at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The mission of the program continues to be: To provide comprehensive training in musculoskeletal science with the aim of developing outstanding investigators in the field of orthopaedic research. If approved, support from the T32 mechanism will sustain our mission and lead to the development of interactive orthopaedic investigators skilled to translate the basic discoveries of the future into effective human therapies for orthopaedic problems that impact the public health.